


A Gentlewoman's Agreement

by Arvanion



Series: Commissioned Work [5]
Category: Senki Zesshou Symphogear
Genre: Pre-Canon, The Illuminati Recruitment Drive, Weishaupt is also mentioned but he doesn't deserve a character tag of his own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-15 23:30:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15424032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arvanion/pseuds/Arvanion
Summary: Determined to see her plans for the world's salvation brought to fruition, Saint-Germain reaches out to an unlikely pair.(Commissioned bydlartistanon.)





	A Gentlewoman's Agreement

Saint-Germain walked purposefully down the hall, her footsteps seeming almost absurdly loud to her ears.  _ Everything  _ seemed too loud, even her own pulse. It was probably a side effect of her nerves--the meeting she was heading to was likely her most ambitious undertaking yet.

_ Cagliostro and Prelati.  _ The swindler and the heretic alchemist were each formidable personalities in their own right. Together, they were enough to give Saint-Germain pause. It was for that reason she’d hit upon the idea to recruit them to her cause. Weishaupt had seen to arranging the meeting, acting the entire time as though the whole thing had been his idea.

_ But it is for my own sake that I do this, not his.  _ Saint-Germain slowed as she approached the door of her office. Beyond it, she expected, her guests were waiting. _ I merely need to show them the strength of my resolve, and impress on them the roles they could play in the remaking of the world. _

Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Saint-Germain pushed open the door.

“My apologies for my lateness. I was detained on the Grandmaster’s business…”

She trailed off as she took in the scene. She’d expected Cagliostro and Prelati to be waiting, but she hadn’t expected them to have made themselves so… comfortable.

“Saint-Germain, lovely of you to grace us with your presence.” Cagliostro leaned back indolently, feet propped up on Saint-Germain’s desk and a half-empty glass of wine placed nearby. One eye closed in a lazy wink. “Don’t feel too bad about, dearie. We’re both perfectly capable of keeping ourselves occupied. Isn’t that right, Prelati?”

The bespectacled alchemist looked up from one of Saint-Germain’s books and shrugged. “It makes no difference to me. I’ve been enjoying this reading.”

“...Shall we get down to business, then?”

Cagliostro pouted at Saint-Germain. “Oh, fine. Killjoy.”

_ They’re rather more eccentric than I expected…  _ Saint-Germain took a moment to regain her equilibrium and cleared her throat.

“To business, then. I have a proposition for the two of you.”

“Mm, how lascivious--”

Saint-Germain’s unamused glare stopped Cagliostro from finishing the sentence. “Do you wish to hear what I’m saying, or not?”

Prelati waved a hand. “Go on, if you must.”

“Right. As I was saying…”

She’d prepared herself for this meeting, going over what she would say time and time again until the words flowed as naturally as breathing. As distasteful as it was for her to take Adam’s advice, she’d deferred to him on this. He was the architect of the Illuminati’s plans, and--as he was all too eager to remind Saint-Germain--her superior.

Saint-Germain explained everything: the Illuminati’s journey to the philosophy they had now embraced; their conviction that the world was flawed and something must be done; and how Weishaupt’s plan could be put into action.

Prelati and Cagliostro listened in silence, their faces betraying little of what they thought of her words. When Saint-Germain finished, the pair exchanged a long look, but said nothing.

_ I wish I could see what they were thinking… _

A trivial spell could have granted her that, of course. But Saint-Germain had no desire to do so. If Cagliostro and Prelati were convinced, it would be by straightforward words and actions, not underhanded manipulation.

“Weeeeee~~ll.” Cagliostro let the word drag out, as if enjoying the taste of it. “You’ve certainly brought up a lot to think about. But you left out one important part.”

“And what is that?” Saint-Germain’s brow furrowed slightly.  _ I don’t think I missed anything… _

Cagliostro smiled like a cat with a bird. “What’s in it for us?”

“...What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said.” Cagliostro picked up the wineglass and swirled the liquid about with an idle movement of the wrist. “You’ve said a great deal about how much the world will benefit from this work, and how happy it’ll make this Lodgemaster of yours, but that’s not really my concern.”

Prelati nodded--a compact, efficient movement--and smirked. “Assistance isn’t free.”

Saint-Germain’s jaw dropped, and she felt as if her heart was plummeting out of her chest.  _ Have I failed to convince them? _

She forced herself to return to equilibrium.  _ No, I cannot allow myself to give up so easily. This is only a minor setback. True, it is unexpected, but how am I to change the world if I cannot even change the minds of these two? _

“I am sure that we can find a method of compensation that would be acceptable to both of you…”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that.” Cagliostro shrugged. “But it’s the amount that’d really be the sticking point. It’s asking a lot of me, to dedicate the rest of my life to something that’s unlikely to come true.”

There was a sarcastic edge in the words. Saint-Germain’s temper flared.

“You are mocking me!”

Cagliostro swirled the wineglass again. “Figured it out, did you? Maybe next time, you shouldn’t try to sell me on something you don’t believe.”

“You…” Saint-Germain had to fight to keep her voice even. “Decline my invitation, if that is what you wish, but do not dismiss my resolve! Even if I must carry this out alone, I will see it done!”

“Oh?”

Saint-Germain found herself unable to stop speaking. All of the high-flown rhetoric and grand speeches she had practiced again and again flew away, leaving her with nothing but her own words, directly from the heart.

“For the sake of ending suffering, and bringing peace to this world, I will gladly sacrifice all that I am. If I have the power to change the world, but do not use it, I am no better than the tyrants who uphold the old order. If my words are not enough to convince you, then so be it--say so at once, and have done. I will seek out another way, and another, until I return to the dust. But I will never give up on my dream!”

Another long silence fell. Saint-Germain could see surprise, and a hint of fear, in Cagliostro’s eyes.  _ Perhaps I went too far. _

But then the silence was broken by an altogether unexpected sound: laughter.

Cagliostro was laughing--a rich, low chuckle that took Saint-Germain completely by surprise. “My God… truly, wonders never cease.”

“I told you this was likely,” said Prelati with amused impatience.

“And, fool that I was, I didn’t listen.”

Saint-Germain looked from one to the other, her righteous indignation fading into confusion. “Am I missing something here?”

“Darling Saint-Germain, you’ll have to forgive me. I’m not exactly the trusting sort.” Cagliostro winked. “When you’ve run as many cons as I have, you learn to be wary of anyone who promises things too good to be true. But you… you believe what you’re saying. Truly, with every fiber of your being.”

Prelati nodded and spoke up. “You may be the most interesting woman I have ever met, Saint-Germain.”

“What are you saying?”

Cagliostro stood. “What I’m saying is… we’re in, both of us. I don’t know if what you’re after can be done, but I wouldn’t miss out on it for the world. Though I  _ am  _ curious… changing the world is the work of lifetimes, not years. How do you intend to see it through?”

“With alchemy, I imagine,” Prelati interjected. “Is my hypothesis correct, Saint-Germain?”

“Correct.” It was all she could muster up, at the moment--Saint-Germain felt overwhelmed at the turns the conversation had taken in so short a time.

“Huh. Interesting. Though if that’s the case, I hope there’s some way to get myself a new body. This one has been… rather ill-used.” Cagliostro punctuated the comment by setting down the empty wineglass. “Especially the liver.”

Prelati smiled thinly. “That’s your own fault.”

“Oh, hush, don’t ruin this moment for me. I mean, what’s the point of being practically immortal if you can’t be a beautiful lady like her?” Twisting a strand of pale hair between two fingers, Cagliostro gestured to Saint-Germain, who felt an unusual twinge of embarrassment.

_ From refusal to acceptance, to… flirting? I don’t think anything could have prepared me for this… _

“Well then, Saint-Germain, it seems we have an understanding.” Cagliostro gave her a sweeping bow. “Cagliostro and Prelati stand ready to assist you. We’ll follow you into hell, if that’s what you ask.”

Prelati settled for a curt nod. “Guide us, Saint-Germain. Show us the splendor of your new future.”

Saint-Germain’s heart soared, and despite herself, she let out a quiet laugh. “...Thank you. I will do all that I can to prove worthy of your loyalty.”

“Of that,” said Cagliostro, “I have no doubt.”


End file.
